We tend to associate the Kales with Autumn and Winter, and most Kales are
at their best in cooler weather. However, Couve Tronchuda ('Tronchuda',
here), or Portuguese Kale, is coming to market now in peak form. This
variety of Kale is less cold-tolerant than its near relations the Cabbages
and other Kales, but, locally at least, it can be planted to come into
production in mid-Spring, when the other Kales are getting a bit seedy.

The morphology of the Kales varies considerably from one variety to another
- we need only compare Lacinato to Scots Kale. Couve Tronchuda looks at
first glance a lot like Collards. But the Tronchuda leaf is rounder
paddle shaped Collard and Tronchuda is a slightly bluish-green, while
Collards tend more toward yellowish-green. And the ribs, or main veins of
Tronchuda are quite prominent, giving it the varietal name 'costata'
or 'ribbed'. One
source describes Tronchuda as transitional between the Kales and
Cabbage, and this is a useful description. Tronchuda produces separate
leaves along a heavy stalk, like other Kales, but the leaves themselves are
structurally and in color quite like the outer leaves of a green Cabbage,
flattened out.

The similarity carries over to taste and texture. Tronchuda produces a
much fleshier leaf than the other Kales, with a relatively thick blade and
heavy veins or stalks which are tender enough to be easily edible - like
those of Cabbage rather than the Kales. The flavor of Tronchuda falls
somewhere between that of a Kale like Scots or Russian and that of Cabbage,
with some of the asperity of the former and less of the mustard or sulphur
sometimes found in Cabbage.

The 'traditional' use for Tronchuda (search "portuguese kale") is in a soup
with beans and sausage, where, like the other Kales, the sturdy leaf holds
up under prolonged cooking and provides flavor to the broth and color and
texture to the soup. But it's easy to think of other uses. Earlier
columns have suggested using the Kales with pasta. The heavier leaf of
Tronchuda gives it body similar to that of the chunkier pastas, so that it
can play a similar structural role to the pasta in a mixed dish, rather
than acting as a topping, as in this recipe which combines
Tronchuda, penne, diced potato, a couple of kinds of cheese, tomato puree
and mortadella sausage (made into tiny meatballs). The Tronchuda is washed
and dried, then sauteed in oil, with the potato, tomato and garlic for
about twenty minutes. This makes the base of the 'sauce', for the pasta and
Mortadella balls, if you use them. And Tronchuda could be substituted for
cabbage in most cooked dishes.

The roundish, flexible but sturdy Tronchuda leaf is perfectly suited to
'wrapping', taking the place of a pita bread or tortilla. We suggest
blanching first, to aid digestibility, unless you're going to fill the
leaves and then cook filling and leaf together.